One day I walk in flowers, One day I walk on stones

"One day I walk in flowers, One day I walk on stones.   (Bruce Cockburn)

The Canadian Rockies were just as spectacular as we remembered them to be but we are so happy that we had such a wonderful early season visit three years ago. The number of people and vehicles was overwhelming. Parking lots, scenic attractions, wildlife spotting, everything was mobbed. I suppose that we are spoiled by the vastness of British Columbia, Alaska, and the Yukon.  It is best to visit here during the “shoulder seasons” (May-June, Mid-August to Sept.)

We did drive over the Icefields Parkway to Banff. Both Jasper NP and Lake Louise have paved overflow parking areas for RV’s but this did not appeal to us. We left Canada Highway 1, which was bumper-to-bumper, and took AB 22 south along the eastern face of the Rockies, called “Kananaski Country”. We avoided Calgary this way and saw some fantastic country. We camped at a lovely provincial park, Chain Lakes, out in the middle of nowhere. It was set in rolling meadows covered with wildflowers overlooking a series of lakes with the Kananaski Mountains like a row of sentinels in the background.  Early Sunday morning Percy and I went for a walk.  I could stand in one place and count a dozen different varieties of flowers. Percy was literally up to her ears in flowers! We walked in flowers.

By noon Sunday we had arrived at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, set up camp and quickly drove up to Red Rock Canyon to hike. We found the loop trail along the canyon edge but we also learned that in mid-summer, folks are allowed to wade in the river up to the canyon’s end. Back to the truck for Teva’s and shorts and we were on our way. This is one of those situations where there are dozens of people for the first ¼ mile, and then only the hardy continue.  It is like a slot canyon but only has one spot that requires crawling on hands and knees (due to a huge log jam). The walls are brilliant shades of red streaked with white and bands of deep brown all in wild and crazy swirls and patterns.  We gladly walked on stones.

In the evening we took the boat tour up Waterton Lake to Ghost Haunt, which is in Glacier National Park. There is a border station there but you have to hike into it from the Glacier side and it was closed. Several people on the boat had never been in the US before and were very excited to be allowed to get out and walk around on US soil. It made me realize again how very special it is to possess a US passport.  We come and go as we please.

On Monday we made our fifth border crossing (not counting the boat ride), at a seasonal crossing on a spur road in the NP’s.  We have managed to stay on secondary roads most of the time as we travel south. We were on I-15 for a short time Monday afternoon and on I-80 for only a few miles today. We have had some good camping spots as well. A welcome relief from the many gravel parking lots we have occupied in the past weeks.

Tonight we are at Rivers Edge on the Provo River near Heber City UT. It is a private place but looks like a state park. We have to take the truck to Salt Lake City tomorrow to have the brakes checked and plan to visit with friends over the weekend.

I think that we are headed home. (Photo is a stone in Red Rock Canyon)